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THE "/ILDERNESS TR.^IL IN LINCOLN COUNTY 

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THE V/ILDERNESS TRAIL IN LINCOLN COUNTY 
By Will Nf Craig, M.D. 



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THE V/ILDERNESS TRAIL IN LINCOIil COUWTY 
(By Will N. Craig, M.D.) 

Historians, for the most part, do not dwell largely on the visits of 
adventurers who came into Kentucky prior to 1700, for such adventurers made 
no permanent impression upon the territory. They left no traces, and 
seemingly made no el fort to establish settlements. 

The history of Kentucky, or that section in which we are particularly 

interested, begins with the first visit of Dr. Thomas V/alker, who, in 1747, 
crossed the Cumberland Mountains at Cumberland Gap and penetrated the wilder- 
ness as far as a point, in now Laurel County, where he built the first log 
cabin in the territory. A replica of the cabin is the principal attraction 

in the Levi-Jackson State Park, and thousands of tourists visit it yearly. 

The history of a territory is intimately associated with the names of 

its interesting points, and the origin of such names entails an account of 
pioneer activities in explorations and deeds of valor as recorded in official 

documents, legends, and folklore. 

In determining the origin of place names, in some instances documentary 

evidence is available, in others, presimiptive evidence must be accepted. 
Legends often play an important role, and the topography of a given area may 
be a determining factor. An unusual incident will crown a place vjith a 
descriptive title, which in time becomes fixed und unchangeable. 

The fewness of names in Kentucky derived from the Indian tongue is 
worthy of note, and can only be accounted for by the fact that there were no 
permanent Indian settlements in the territory, although it was a common hunt- 
ing ground for several tribes. 



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The one name that stands out prominently as derived from an Indian word 
is Kentucky , the name of both the state, and its largest river. It has its 
derivation in the Indian xvork, "Cutawa", the significance of which we do not 
knov;, unless it means "boundary". The Indians respected each other's hunting 
grounds, and it may be presumed that the river was a line of demarcation 
between areas used by the different tribes. 

In its evolution "Cutawa" became Kentucky, according to the United States 

Gazetteer, which was published in 1833, and compiled by authors who lived at 
a time when familiarity with the Indian tongue v/as possible. The various 
spellings of Kentucky were coincidental to that which later was authorized 
by Legislative act. 

The Kentucky River was first known to the pioneers by the English name, 

Louisa or Levisa, a name given to it by Dr. Thomas Walker on his first visit, 
in 1747. The first female white child born in Kentucky was Louisa (or Levisa) 

Whitley- named for the river- a daughter of Col. V/illiam and Esther Fullen 
Whitley. 77e are proud to claim a lineal descendant of the father and mother of 
that child as a citizen of Stanford, Miss Esther Whitley Burch, authoress and 
historian, who glorifies her ancestry in her patriotism and zeal in preserving 
the history of the pioneer days. 

In 1780 Lincoln County was established as one of the three original 
counties into which the District of Kentucky was divided. The original boundary 
of the county embraced about one-third of the District, but in subsepuent years 
it has been reduced by cutting off sections to fona other counties, until its 
present area is about 450 square miles. 

Lincoln County was named in honor of Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, a distinguished 
officer of the Revolutionary Army, who, in 1778, was designated by Congress to 



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conduct the war in the southern states. In 1781 Gen. Lincoln was honored by 
Gen. feshington with the office of receiving the sword of Cornwallis at York- 
town, and directing the distribution of the conquered troops. In justice to 
Kentucky's three great pioneers, - Logan, Vtfhitley, and Shelby, - it may be said 
that they reflected great glory on the county in heroic achievements no less 
brilliant than the achievements depicted in the career of Gen. Lincoln himself, 
for whom the county was named. 

- In exploring a territory the first consideration of the pioneers was water, 
and traces made by them followed very closely the courses of streams. 

In 1769, when the Long Hunters were embarrassed because of a shortage of 
food, James Knox, Richard Skaggs, and four-others, left the party and traveled 
westwardly in search of game. They crossed the Rockcastle River and traveled 
up Skaggs Creek, where they met a party of Cherokee Indians. Captain Dick, 
chief of the Indians, told them to cross Brushy Ridge, and come to his river 
where they would find game "plenty". The Long Hunters found the stream, and 
named it Dick's River in honor of the Indian chieftan. Captain Dick, who had 
befriended them. 

The topography of the county, and the course of the streams, indicate that 
the crossing of Brushy Ridge from Skaggs Creek, would be near the head-waters of 
Dick's River, which has its source in the confluence of several small streams 
near Brodhead, one of which was Negro Creek, on which the famous Captain Jacob 
Baughman Massacre took place in about 1788. Legends state that had it not been 
for the overweening desire of Mrs. Baughman to be properly garbed on their 
arrival at Whitley's Fort the massacre would not have occurred. She insisted on 
remaining at the English Station until the effects of the arduous trek over the 



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Wildemess Trail had disappeared, and repairs to her wardrobe had been made. 
This delay gave the pursuing Indians time to catch up with the party and commit 
one of the most atrocious massacres recorded in pioneer history. 

The crossing of Brushy Ridge to Dick's River, by the Long hunters, was the 
farthest west that the pioneers had penetrated into this section of the wilder- 
ness up to that time, so far as available records show. UlThile the Long Hunters 
were exploring the southeastern territory, the Henderson party, headed by Boone, 
were exploring the northeastern area; and, although both parties remained in the 
territory for two years or more, they never met or visited the central area- now 
Lincoln County. 

In 1775 Benjamin Logan, with two or three slaves, met Daniel Boone, Henderson, 
and others, in Powell Valley, on their way to Kentucky and traveled with them 
to Hazel Patch, a point about ten miles north of London, Laurel County, where they 
camped. A division of the trail at that point is indicated on Filson's map, 
drawn from surveys made in 1784-89, and confirmed in Collins' History of Kentucky. 
The Boone trace led north to the Kentucky River from that point. 

Logan, who did not approve of the plans of the other members of the party, 
separated from them and headed westwardly. He blazed the trail to a point, 
where, at the end of his rainbow, he found the pot of gold, to be the magnificant 
group of springs which supplies the city of Stanford with water today. It was 
there that Logan established his fort in 1775, at the same time that Boone 
established his fort at Boonesboro. 



To Benjamin Logan, who stands preeminent in the annals of Kentucky- 
history as a pioneer, warrior, and statesman, is due the credit for ex- 
tending the IVilderness Trail from Hazel Patch, through Rockcastle County, 

/ 
and the unexplored territory of the present Lincoln County, to the site 

of his fort, and later, to Harrod's settlement. (Harrod approached the 

site of his settlement from the north.) It vfas Col. Logan who, in 1784, 

instigated the movement which resulted in statehood for Kentucky in 1792, 

and it is due to his patriotism and generosity, that Lincoln enjoys the 

distinction of being the first county in the state to establish a Seat of 

Justice. This is evidenced by the record^ in the archives of the county. 

Benjamin Logan filled many official positions, and his career justifies 

the inscription which is found on his monument in the Logan burial ground 

near Shelbyville, Kentucky. 

"Benjamin Logan died December 1802, in his 60th 

year. A name so engraven in the history of his 
country and the affection of posterity, the highest 

monument of fame. RJarried Ann Montgomery, who 

shared with him in the many perils of their T.'ildemess 

home . " 

On September 11, 1936, a memorial tablet, placed on the massive 

column of Stanford's Court House, and erected by the Logan-VJhitley Chapter 

of the D. A.. R., was unveiled as a tribute to that intrepid pioneer, 

Benjamin Logan, and in commemoration of the establishment of Stanford in 



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1786. In the celebration of this sesiui-centennial, a pageant was enacted, 
depicting the habits and customs of the people of that period; while the 
story of Kentucky's birthday and progress^ was read from the steps of the 
building to the great delight of an immense gathering of patriotic citizens, 

Logan's trace from Hazel Patch passed through the "Orchard", which 
is a unique locality in Lincoln County, extending from the springs area, 
up Dick's River valley to near Brodhead. The Orchard derived its name 
from the immense forest of apple trees which are indiginous to that section. 
(Remnants of the orchard are still in evidence.) The fruit of the orchard 
was a great boon to the pioneers, who made of it a delectable confection, 
crab-apple jelly, than vjhich there is none better. 

The "Orchard", as a name for this place, supersedes that of Moore's 
Station, which was located on a knoll south of the village where the water 
tower now stands. When the Orchard became a post village, it was named 
Crab-Orchard after the particular kind of apple trees which predominated 
there. In ante bellum days it was the rendezvous of great caravans of the 
southern gentry who were attracted by the virtues of its several medicinal 
waters, and thereafter it was more generally spoken of as Crab-Orchard 
Springs. The springs were named for the pioneers on whose preemption they 
were located, or for the constituents of the waters. Prominent in the list 
are Foley's, Bryant's, Sowder's, Brown's, Caldwell's, and Howard's Springs. 
From the epsom waters of Crab-Orchard, and vicinity, are made the nationally 



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known Crab-Orchard salts. 

Two miles east of Crab-Orchard is the site of the English Station, 
about ^vhich little is known. 

Six miles east of Stanford, on the Vi'ilderness Trail, Col. V/illiara 
Vi/hitley established his fort prior to 1779. The establishment of this 
fort marked the beginning of a new era in the affairs of the IVilderness. 
It was the first haven of the pioneers who ventured that far into the 
wilderness after the "bloody sevens", and around this historic fort were 
centered many activities, which resulted in the suppression of hostile 
Indians, - by treaty or otherwise, - and guaranteed reasonable security 
to the settlers. 

The career of Col. Whitley crowns his home with a halo of gloryo 
in 1782-86 his fort gave vjay to the first brick house built in Kentucky, 
and thus proclaimed him the arbiter of an architectural innovation, that 
elevated the wilderness from a log cabin era to a period of civic progression. 
The home of Col. uvhitley was named "Sportsman's Kill", and around a knoll, 
adjoining the stately mansion, was built the first race track in Kentucky, - 
a track which greatly enhanced the prestige of the state as the fatherland 
of fine horses. Through a sense of patriotism and homage due to Col. 
Whitley, who was one of the most valiant officers of the Revolutionary War, 
the restoration of his historic mansion has materialized, and it now stands 
as a State Shrine and Monument, to that intrepid leader and warrior in 



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perilous times. Col. Whitley served with great distinction in seventeen 
engagements with the enemy. In his honor a memorial tablet has been erected 
at his shrine bearing this inscription: 

"Col. William VJhit ley, born 1749, Philanthropist, 
Patriot, Poet, Hero, killed in the battle of the 
Thames, 1813." 

Erected by Logan-'jVhitley Chapter 
D. A. R. July 4, 1920 
Whitley's Creek, a branch of Cedar Creek, v,rhich flows to Dick's River, 
supplied the immense estate with water. Cedar Creek is so-called for the 
abundance of trees of the same name which flourished along its course. 

Four miles esst of Stanford on the Wilderness Trail is Walnut Flat, 
the ancestral home of the Owsleys. The name of the home is derived from 
the forest of walnut trees which abounded in that section. It was built 
in 1812-16 by Samuel Owsley. Kis brother, William Ovirsley, who was Kentucky's 
sixteenth governor in 1844, labored in the construction of the mansion 
after returning from the War of 1812. In 1816 Samuel Owsley gave the land 
on which was built, what is thouf^t to be, the second of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian Churches in Kentucky. This church became the canter of the 
post-village, VJalnut Flat, which boasted a IVIain Street and several side 

streets, a black-smith shop, a corner store, which was the post office, 
and several residences; but like Goldsmith's "Deserted Village", the town 



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has long since passed into the limbo of things forgotten. The name of the 
home remains to designate a historic locality. 

.4. relic of pioneer days is the old stone -4iOuse, knovm ds the Darst House, 
which was built in the latter years of the 18th century, on the Wilderness Trail 
by Col. John Logan, for whom the stream which it faces was named. 

When Benjamin Logan had penetrated this far into the v;ilderness, he found 
a little stream, vdaich mingled its crystal v^aters with those of Logan's Creek. 
The stream wormed its course through a valley, skirted on the one side with 
rugged cliffs, and on the other vjith immense fields of blue-grass and cane. 
Besides the stream was a buffalo path, which led to its source, and that path 
became the extension of the VJilderness Trail blazed by Benjamin Logan in 1775. 
It is now the IJain otreet of Stanford. 

St. Asaph, as a name for Logan's Fort, and this stream, was adopted at 
the suggestion of a devout 'Jelshjnan, v;ho recalled that May 1, the day on which 
Logan reached the spring, was the anniversary of the canonization of .^saph, a 
monk in the monastery on the River Elry in North Vi'ales, and the suggestion was 
agreeable to Logan, who forthwith decided to call his fort and stream, St. 
Asaph. A legend, which is recounted by the members of the Shelby family, lends 
color to this explanation of the naming of the fort. The legend states that on 
one occasion a daughter of Shelby asked her father why Logan named his fort 
St. Asaph, and received this cryptic reply. "Don't you ever read your Bible?". 
The inference is that Logan, v/hose piety could not be questioned, preferred 



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the Psalms written by Asaph, and was plad to honor the Psalmist in the 
naming of his fort and tte stream. 

In a nevj-found home it is natural for/settlers to honor the places of 
their nativity by adopting such names as vrould recall vistas of bygone days; 
and, in reverence for their homes of the past, such names, like themselves, 
were transplanted in a new soil with changes, contractions, or abreviations, 
necessary for euphony or dialectic convenience. 

A municipal borough in Lincolnshire, England, commonly called Stamford, 
and originally spelled Staenford, in its evolution, became Stanford, the 
official name of the county seat of Lincoln, and this name superseded St. 
Asaph, the early name of the settlement. 

The group of springs, known as Buffalo Springs, derives its name from 
an incident v/hich is recounted in a legend. It is said that a buffalo, 
which had been killed at the brow of the cliff above the spring, toppled 
over into the water, and thereafter the spring was called the "Buffalo 
Spring", from vjhich the group gets its name. One of the springs in the 
group is known as the "Rout Spring", named for Wesley Rout, who operated 
a mill there for many years. 

Emigrants, who follov/ed the tide over the hazardous trail from Virginia, 
and elsewhere after the "bloody sevens," found in Lincoln County ideal 
locations for homes, and from the Wilderness Trail many traces were made. 
The various traces, leaving the trail, generally followed the courses of 



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the little creeks, of xvhich there are many in the county. In time these 
traces became the priniary road system of the county. 

South of the Orchard is a trace which serves the territory watered by 
ick Creek. The origin- of the name of this creek is obscure. It is probably 
contraction of Buchanan in honor of Col. Buchanan who was a companion of 
r. Thomas Vfalker on his first trip to the V.'ilderness in 1747. The territory 
xplored by the party was in the Cumberland River area, and the name, Buck 
reek, was given to the stream for purposes of identification, as most 
treams were named for the pioneers who discovered them, or through whose 
reemptions they had their course. However, s legend states that the hunters 
ound two bucks, engaged in a life and death struggle, on the banks of the 
^reek, with their antlers so interlocked that they could not extricate them- 
selves. In this predecament the deer fell easy prey for the hunters, who 
named the stream "Buck Creek". 

A trace going north from the Orchard led to the site of Lewis Craig's 
church, which was located on O^ilbert's Creek in 1781. This is said to be 
the first church built in Kentucky. The site is now in Garrard Coiinty. On 
this trace is a village, Preachersville, which has the distinction of being 
the only town of that name in the United States. Preachersville was 
established as a post village January 27, 1875, with William n. Cummins as 
postmaster. This section was the objective point of the many preachers who 
visited the Vifilderness in pioneer days, — hence the village was known as 
Preachersville . 



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Gilbert's Creek was probably named for Elder John Gilbert, a baptist 
minister for over sixty years, who was a scout and soldier during the closing 
years of the Revolutionary War. He was active in this section, and died at 
the age of 110 years. 

In this section of the county is the site of the Francis Underwood mill, 
built on Dick's River in 1783. It was the first mill west of the Alleghanys, 
and its location was on the property which now belongs to Henry Anderson. 
The mill was destroyed by fire, but the original mill stones, after being 
submerged for perhaps a hundred hears, have been recovered and are now preserved 
as relics of that historic enterprise. The site is known, but not marked. 

As time passed, the traces, made by the pioneers , became roads, and 
assumed the names of the settlements to which they led; a custom which prevails 
today except when, for expediency, the great highways are designated by numbers. 

Lincoln is considered one of the best watered counties of the state, 
having many never-drying streams, which are trioutaries of Kentucky, Cumberland, 
and Green Rivers. With few exceptions the streams are named for pioneers, who 
staked claims prior to 1781. In the Book of Surveys in the Lincoln County 
Clerk's Office they are frec^uently mentioned as boundaries and landmarks in 
connection with pre mptions. 

Green County, which was established in 1792, was named for Major General 
Nathanial Green. Its capital is Greensburg and the principal hotel bears the 
same name. It is said that the proprietor, a Mr. Green, in order to carry out 



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the color scheme served greens every day for a salad. The stream which 
has its source at hall's Gap, in Lincoln County, where the three water sheds 
of the state converge, assumes the dignity of a river in Green County, and 
naturally falls heir to the name of that colorful county which was once a 
part of Lincoln. 

Hall's Gkip, where Green River has its source, was named for John Hall, 
a pioneer, whose preemption in 1781 on Logan's Creek, included that famous 
scenic attraction. 

Warrant #1259, entered in 1781, describes the claim of i/Iartin Hawkins, 
through which the stream, which bears his name, runs. 

Neal's Greek was probably named for pioneer Richard J. Meal; and Mason's 
Gap, on Neal's Greek, for the reason family, which ovmed many acres of land in 
that area. Chappell's Gap, and Creek, are named for the Chappell family, the 
descendants of whom still live in that section, and for like reasons other 
streams and localities are named. 

The second stream in importance in Lincoln County, Dick's River being 
the first, is Hanging Fork, it gets its name from a gruesoraft incident which 
occurred in the early settlement of the village. It is said that two desperadoes, 
who had escaped from the authorities in Virginia, were recaptured in the vicinity. 
After their apprehension, when enroute to Virginia, there they would be hung 
for their depredations, they gave the officers much trouble, and the officers, 
being weary of the watch, decided to hang the culprits at once, and thus relieve 



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themselves of an onerous duty, and at the same time carry out the mandate of 
the court. The hanging took place at the forks of the stream in the edge of 
the settlement, and thereafter, both the stream, and the village, were called 
Hanging Fork. 

The settlement, being at the intersection of the trails from the Kentucky 
River to the Green River valley, and from St. ^i.saph to the Falls of the Ohio, 
was known first as the Cross Roads. The post-village, Hanging Fork, was 
established May 30, 1818, with John Murrell as postmaster. The name of the 
office was changed to New Store on February 13, 1826, and on May 18, 1826, 
it was changed back to Hanging Fork. By Legislative act in January, 1838, the 
office was named Hustonville, in honor of two Huston brothers who owned a large 
acreage of land at the Cross Roads. The trustees of the village were Richard 
W. Coffey, James Cooper, J. M. Nichols, John .^llen, and James Linbe-ry. The 
village has the distinction of having had four names. 

At. St. Asaph, according to Filson's Map, the iiilderness Trail subdivides 
into several traces, one of which leads north to Dick's and Kentucky Rivers, 
Craig's Station, and Lexington. Another trace leads to Clark's, Ccvjan's Crow's, 
and Harrod's Stations, thence to McAfee's Station and the Kentucky River. The 

The v/estern trace leads to Knob Lick, Vfarren's and Shelby's Stations, and 
Green River. 

A trace from St. ^saph, which follows the general course of the Hanging 
Fork, passes through Hustonville to Carpenter's Station, which was established 



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on Carpenter's Creek about 1780 by G. 3. Carpenter. Carpenter, who owned much 
land in that area, contributed liberally to the building and support of one 
of the early churches of the state at Fiustonville, which was a center of relig- 
ious and social activities in pioneer days. It is stated that Carpenter made 
an additional contribution of $100.00 to the church, in order that the spire 
might be built high enough to be seen from his fort. The ways of the -almighty 
are inscrutable, and it remains a matter of conjecture as to whether it was 
divine providence, or merely a coincidence that the spire was blown down by 
a terrific windstorm at the time th-it Carpenter died. The first store house 
in Hustonville was built by .irchie Robards, son-in-law of G. 3. Cai-penter. 

Near Hustonville, on a brance of Hanging Fork, is the site of idcKinney's 
Station, which was established before 1792, by Archibald McKinney. This was 
one of the first trading posts in Kentucky, and it is a post village at the 
present time. It served as a clearing house for the hunters of the Green 
River valley, who exchanged the products of the chase for powder, tobacco, 
sugar, prints, and such commodities as vjere offered by the traders who visited 
the terrotory. The site of the original log cabin is known but not marked. 

It is said thrit Vifaynestaurg, one of the early settlements of the county, 
was named for Gen. ^nthony VJayne, v;ho was often spoken of as "Mad" Anthony 
Wayne. In 1792 he was appointed by Washington to the command of the army 
engaged against the Indians on the western front. Gen. Wayne attained great 
distinction as a military leader, and in his honor Wayne County, originally a 



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part of Lincoln, was named. 

It is obvious that Highland was named for topographical reasons - the 
elevation being approximately 1400 feet, which is about 500 feet above the 
Main Street of Stanford. The post office naturally has the same name. 

In the absence of definite knowledge it may be presumed that King's 
Mountain derived its name from the famous mountain, of the same name, in 
North Carolina, which figured largely in the Revolutionary War in 1780. A 
great influx of emigrants from th >t state into Kentucky took place .^fter the 
war, and it is reasonable to suppose that they introduced tha name for that 
locality. 

It is interesting to note that the names of the homes of that great tri- 
umvirate of personalities th-^t was so largely responsible for the very integrity 
of Kentucky as a state and its development from a vjildemess to the "pride of the 
Union", indicate the dominating attributes of the individual rather than a 
mere mark of ovmership, and that these three homes were established within the 
present bounds of Lincoln County. 

It was natural thut the home of Logan, the man of God, should have the 
Biblical title, St. i-.saph, and one familiar with the social activities of 
Vrtiitley would expect no other descriptive title for his home than "Sportsman's 
Hill". 

In keeping with the trend the home of Isaac Shelby, the diplomat, was 
{ known as "Travelers Rest". The calling of Shelby, who was an outstanding 



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personality in the political activities of the time, deraanded that his home 

be the gathering place of men on whom the destiny of the territory depended, and 

the nature of their reception automatically designated his mansion, - "Traveler's 

Rest". In 1775 Isaac Shelby located ten thousand acres of land in Lincoln 

County, and in 1780, after participating in many engagements incident to the 

settlement of the territory, he returned to complete his title to the claim 

on which, it is said, the first stone house in the state was built in 1787. 

The picturesque career of Col. Shelby began with the office of surveyor 
and progressed through the graduations of public service, to the governor on 
June 4, 1792. "^ brave and plain officer, v/ho had gallantly served in the 
Revolutionary War, and distinguished himself at King's Mountain and Point 
Pleasant." 

Lincoln County was undoubtedly the center of activities in pioneer days, 
and for that reason the Court, organized at Harrodsburg in 1781, was immediately 
removed to St. Sasph. 

Collins' History of Kentucky says, "The pioneer stations in the boundaries 
of the present Lincoln County exceed in number those of any other county. 
Po sibly this list may embrace several not located in Lincoln, but in an 
adjoining county; Cane Run, Uarpenter's, Casey's, Carb Orchard, Craig's, 
Clark's, Crow's, Jorks of Dick's River, Gilmer's, Know Lick, Logan's Fort 
or St. Asaph, McKinney's, Montgomery's, Pettit's, Whitley's, Wilson.'s, 



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Worthington's 17 in all". 

The places mentioned in this article do not comprise a complete list 
of the historic points in the county. 



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